Joe Manchin

ARTICLES ABOUT JOE MANCHIN BY DATE - PAGE 4

MARTINSBURG, W.Va. -- Gov. Joe Manchin earlier this week signed an executive order that effectively launched an initiative to market West Virginia's four most eastern counties to the Baltimore-Washington, D.C., area. "This will enable local governments to work together, as a region, to promote economic development opportunities, while highlighting our state's many benefits, like a low cost of living, natural beauty, nice people and a low crime rate," Manchin said in a news release about the creation of Western Potomac Economic Partnership (West-PEP)

Naturally, plenty of people call or write with column ideas that I listen to before saying "Thank you very much for the idea; now never contact me again. " But when Paul Highbarger sent me a link to a Newsweek article about West Virginia's campaign to improve its image titled "Hillbilly No More" -- well, what can I say? He must know I have a weakness for the classics. I lived in the Mountain State for 27 years, so it is a topic I can speak on with some degree of authority, if not accuracy.

CHARLESTON, W.Va. -- Gov. Joe Manchin's proposals to give county school districts more flexibility with the school calendar and measures to improve academic achievement garnered praise from the Eastern Panhandle's delegation of lawmakers in the 79th Legislature. "He said more things tonight that I agree with than his four previous speeches put together," Del. John Doyle, D-Jefferson, said of Manchin's State of the State speech Wednesday evening. Manchin's plan to extend the school calendar year to insure students receive 180 days instruction is a proposal that some lawmakers have been trying to get adopted for 15 years, Doyle said.

CHARLESTON, W.Va. (AP) -- Expressing confidence in West Virginia's sound financial footing -- rare for states these days -- Gov. Joe Manchin began his second term Monday by asking his fellow citizens not to let the grim national economy stop the progress they've made in recent years. The governor also repeated a commitment to more jobs, expanded health care, improved schools and West Virginia coal after he was sworn in for his new term on the snowy north steps of the state Capitol.

HEDGESVILLE, W.Va. - West Virginia Gov. Joe Manchin and Republican opponent Russ Weeks both said Thursday evening during the second of four planned gubernatorial debates that they were in favor of reinstating the death penalty in the state. Mountain Party candidate Jesse Johnson renewed his opposition, citing his Christian beliefs. Manchin conditioned his support on obtaining assurances that the individual's conviction was without error. "I wish I was a strong enough Christian to say I was against (the death penalty)

MARTINSBURG, W.Va. --Â Gov. Joe Manchin is scheduled to take part in a political debate Thursday night at Hedgesville High School as part of a two-day visit to the Eastern Panhandle, officials said. Manchin's opponents are former Republican state Sen. Russ Weeks and Mountain Party candidate Jesse Johnson. Both are expected to attend. Open to the public, the debate is scheduled to begin at 6 p.m. in the auditorium, according to campaign and school officials. Manchin is seeking re-election to a second, four-year term.

MARTINSBURG, W.Va. - Gov. Joe Manchin on Friday presented Martinsburg city officials with a $300,000 grant to help pay for the revitalization of Town Square Plaza. Manchin not only was in town to present the grant, but to attend the Jefferson-Jackson Dinner at the Holiday Inn to raise money for the Democratic Executive Committees in Jefferson, Berkeley and Morgan counties. Maryland Gov. Martin O'Malley and Anne Barth, who is running against U.S. Rep. Shelley Moore Capito, R-2nd, also attended the event.

MARTINSBURG, W.Va. --Â Gov. Joe Manchin is scheduled today to present two state Division of Highway (DOH) grants, including one for $300,000 to the City of Martinsburg to help with downtown revitalization efforts, officials said. The award for the city is designated for the Martinsburg Town Square Plaza project, Mayor George Karos confirmed. Karos said the city likely would apply for more money for the pedestrian-minded project, describing the money as "foundation-starting" for the work to be done.

MARTINSBURG, W.Va. -- Berkeley County Youth Fair officials believe West Virginia Gov. Joe Manchin's visit Monday was a first. The 61st annual Berkeley County Youth Fair officially began Monday, and Manchin took time to meet and talk with people, visit goats and cows, cut a ribbon and check out the tractors. Youth Fair President Steve Linton said he believed it was the first time a governor attended the youth fair. "At least not for the last 27 years at this location," he said.

MARTINSBURG, W.VA. - As Republican gubernatorial candidate Russ Weeks tours West Virginia, he is seeking to share his positive plans if elected. But Weeks said nearly everyone he meets wants to talk about the controversy surrounding Gov. Joe Manchin's daughter and the master's degree from West Virginia University that she supposedly didn't earn. "I believe that issue is going to have an impact on voters, but I'm not sure to what degree," Weeks said. Attending the Berkeley County Republican Club's annual picnic Saturday at Poor House Farm Park, Weeks tried to focus attention on several key issues instead.